


Light In A Storm

by Tori_Scribbles



Series: Threefold [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: A Mother's Love and Sacrifice, All-Knowing Alan Deaton, BAMF Claudia Stilinski, Claudia Stilinski Knows, F/M, Gen, Magical Claudia Stilinski, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Magical weather, Mysterious Alan Deaton, Pre-Canon, Spark Claudia Stilinski, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Stilinski Family Feels, magical illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 05:53:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21453079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tori_Scribbles/pseuds/Tori_Scribbles
Summary: Prompt: Three times Claudia shielded the supernatural world from Stiles
Relationships: Claudia Stilinski & Sheriff Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski, Claudia Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski, Claudia Stilinski/Sheriff Stilinski, Talia Hale & Claudia Stilinski
Series: Threefold [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1440325
Comments: 3
Kudos: 62





	1. talia - 1994

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this forever ago and just forgot to post it, sorry! 
> 
> 1\. 1994 (the day after Stiles is born), Talia  
2.

Claudia Stilinski gave birth in a storm.

Thunder crashed through the air as her body contracted and lightning struck as her son gave his first cry.

And if the lights flickered and the storm faded away as she breathed his name for the first time, most people thought nothing of it. 

There were some people though, a select community that lived throughout Beacon Hills felt the atmosphere shift. The smell of magic filled the air and a spark of potential flickered.

Claudia Stilinski felt it all.

The pains of labour, the warm glow of power and unconditional love for her child.

She leant into her husband’s chest, brushed a finger over her son’s chubby cheek and smiled, tears of joy, pain and fatigue all mixed together.

“Mieczysław,” she whispered, “my little light in a storm.” 

-oOo-

Two days later when they were all home and as settled as anybody could be with a newborn, people started to visit.

Noah’s mother had been there almost as soon as he’d been born and his father had been told of his first grandchild’s birth via voicemail because he hadn’t been bothered to return any of their calls. And while Claudia’s family were making arrangements to fly in from Poland, they had a few days to prepare for the whirlwind they would bring.

So for now, they were introducing little Mieczysław to their friends.

Claudia sat with Mieczysław against her chest, the old rocking chair creaking as it moved. He was awake, looking up at her with wide, curious eyes. He looked at everything like that like his tiny brain was trying to figure everything out. 

Noah had run to the store as they’d severely underestimated how many diapers they’d go through in a few days but he’d only left some ten minutes ago. So when a car pulled up on the driveway and Claudia glanced out of the window, smiling at the sight of her friend.

“We’ve got visitors,” she said, looking down at her baby in her arms. “Friends of Mommy’s. Special friends.” 

There was a soft knock on the front door.

“It’s open,” she said, her voice just as soft, knowing full well that she’d be heard, “let yourself in.” 

The front door opened and Talia stepped into the room, Claudia’s eyes met hers and they shared a warm smile.

“Hey,” Talia said, coming further into the room, her voice gentle. “How’re you doing, Mama?” 

Claudia’s smiled widened. “Good,” she replied, shifting Mieczysław slightly so Talia could see his face. “It’s so good. Mieczysław, this is Talia. Talia, meet little Mieczysław.” 

“Hi, baby,” Talia murmured, letting Mieczysław try and grab at her finger as her other hand rested on her very pregnant stomach. “You look like your Mama.” 

“Wanna hold him?” Claudia asked, passing him across to her. Talia cradled him close to her chest as she sunk down onto the couch.

“You’re a curious little one, aren’t you?” Talia mumbled and Claudia watched the two of them with a soft smile. “So, you agreed on Mieczysław then?” She looked back up with an amused smile.

Claudia laughed slightly. “He’ll end up a Stiles eventually but he’s always gonna be my little Mieczyslaw,” she said fondly. “How’re you doing?”

“Getting near a due date,” Talia said with a knowing glint in her eye. “She’s getting more active. Her feet are all in my ribs whenever I’m trying to sleep. She’s exactly like Laura.” 

“Does Derek still think she’s a he?” Claudia asked and Talia outright laughed. 

“Oh, Derek is hoping for anything that’s not like Laura,” she said with a roll of her eyes, “we’re getting close to the full moon and Laura’s showing signs of starting to shift young. Derek is… jealous to say the least. It doesn’t help that she likes to… rub it in a little.” 

“A new wolf, a three year old and a newborn.” Claudia chuckled. “Your house is gonna be exciting.” 

“Exciting is one word for it,” Talia said, looking back down at Mieczyslaw. “Chaos is another. Laura’s not even six yet. Her shifting now… she’d be even younger than I was.” 

Claudia smiled. “Shifting young is a sign of a powerful wolf,” she said, “a powerful alpha.” 

She didn’t have to be a wolf to know that Talia was proud. “I guess power runs in families, huh?” the alpha said and Claudia’s foot pressed into the floor slightly harder, stopping the chair from rocking as she met her friend’s eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she lied, her voice flat.

Talia made a doubtful noise. “It was a hell of a storm the other night,” she said casually. “Local weather stations say it stopped at exactly 2:43 am. What time did you say Mieczysław was born again?”

Claudia sighed. “I haven’t… used anything in years,” she said, pulling a face at her own word choice, it made her sound like an addict, “going into labour triggered something. All that unused power…” 

“You’re staying the storm was you?” Talia raised an eyebrow.

“Labour is a stressful thing.” Claudia shrugged.

“For a baby too,” Talia hummed. 

A part of Claudia felt bad for lying to her friend, whether Talia knew it was a lie or not. It didn’t matter. She didn’t want her son to grow up as she had. Moving from town to town and then country to country because he didn’t know how to control his power. If he didn’t know about it - if nobody knew about it - then it couldn’t be a danger to him. Whatever power he might have would lay dormant, like a pile of dry kindling with no spark to light the fire.

“You know,” Talia said, bouncing Mieczysław as he started to fuss, “if you join my pack in an official capacity then we can offer you a certain level of protection. You could-” 

“Talia.” 

Talia broke off at Claudia’s tone of voice. This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation.

“With all due respect, that part of my life is over. My friendship with your family doesn’t mean I want to go back to that world,” she said firmly then sighed, her voice softening. “That chapter is behind me. I won’t put my family through that.” 

Her childhood had been herbs and mythology, old books and training. She’d spent months studying packs and magical hierarchies and then when the time came, her family would hear whispers of hunters and they’d run. She’d loved the abilities it gave her but she hated the risks. The friends and family she’d lost to hunters. She trained for years to be an emissary only for the entire pack to be wiped out before she could take up the job. 

Her family ending up in Beacon Hills had been the best thing that ever happened to her. Her parents introduced themselves to the local pack as a courtesy but that was it. She went to school, she made friends, she met Noah and she never touched anything remotely magical again.

She wasn’t going to put her son through all of that.

Talia sighed but conceded.”I understand,” she said, “I don’t like it. But I understand and will respect your decision. I’ll look for an emissary elsewhere.”

“I know of a few people,” Claudia said, “I could give you some names.” 

“That would be appreciated.” Talia smiled, looking back down to Mieczysław as he batted at her fingers. “You are gonna have such a safe, happy life.” 

Claudia smiled. “You know, Noah and I, we’re not religious. We have no plans for a christening but… we were talking about unofficial godparents.” 

Talia raised her eyes again, a soft expression of surprise on her face.

“If anything were ever to happen to us. We don’t have siblings and neither of our parents are able to take in a child. But you and Michael are wonderful parents,” Claudia said.

Talia smiled, her eyes a little glassy. “We’ll take care of him,” she said, “you have my word. If anything were to happen he’ll be taken care of.” 


	2. deaton - 2000

Energy hummed through Claudia’s body. A lesser person would have put it down to anxiety, but she knew better. It was something more powerful than anxiety. 

Hunters were back in town and they weren’t here to see the scenery. 

Claudia’s married name had given her an extent of cover but she didn’t like the way that stranger’s eyes had started to linger on her when she was out. A car had followed her around town for an hour last week after she left the Hale’s house, it wasn’t hard to put it together that the hunters had their suspicions about her closeness to them.

When she’d told Noah she’d been trailed he’d sighed, rubbed his face and looked just as tired as she felt and told her that she was paranoid, that it was just the stress trying to trick her. She knew that paranoia was a symptom of sleep deprivation and she knew sleep deprivation was a symptom of her migraines. But she also knew that the hunters were going to wait for a reason before taking action.

She pushed open the door to the animal clinic and a bell rang out as she stepped inside making the man behind the counter lookup.

“Mrs Stilinski,” he said, his expression looked surprised but his tone said something different.

“Doctor Deaton,” she said passively. “I was hoping for a consultation if you had a minute.” She glanced pointedly to the empty waiting area and Doctor Deaton smiled. 

“I don’t have another appointment for an hour. I believe I can fit you in.” He gestured for her to follow him through the back and she hesitated in front of the counter.

Her hand hesitated above the counter and her head tilted slightly to the side as she felt the way the rowan wood made her fingers tingle. Mountain ash was one of the first things she learnt to manipulate but it was something she hadn’t touched in decades. 

It was smart for Deaton to have his place of work protected by it so subtly.

She looked back up at Deaton who was watching patiently until she lifted the counter and stepped into the treatment room.

“What is it I can help you with, Mrs Stilinski?” Deaton asked, leaning back against one of the metal tables.

“I need some supplies, I’d be happy to pay. I just can’t- I can’t go out and acquire them like I would’ve done before and if I ask Talia then she’ll ask questions,” Claudia said.

Deaton raised his chin in a show of interest. “I’d be happy to help. What supplies do you require?” 

“Angelica, comfrey, primrose and wormwood,” Claudia listed, watching as Deaton hesitated while he figured out her train of thought.

“And I presume you already have witch hazel, ginger and ash?” he said slowly. 

“I can get my hands on them easily enough,” she said.

Deaton hummed. He pulled open a drawer, his fingers ghosting over the tops of different glass bottles before he started to pull out different ones, placing them on the examination table between them.

“Might I ask what you require a protection spell for?” Deaton asked, his fingers resting on top of a bottle of primrose petals.

Claudia pursed her lips. “Protection,” she said flatly.

Deaton frowned. “I’m aware of the town's newest residents, but if you believe you’re in imminent danger I could-” 

“No,” Claudia said sharply. “It’s merely a precaution.” 

“Very well.” Deaton nodded, taking his hand away so Claudia could gather the bottles up and hide them in the bottom of her purse. “I heard that you were in the hospital recently. I hope you’re well.” 

“Fine, thank you,” she said, trying not to sound forced. “Just some migraines.” 

He hesitated again and Claudia hoped he’d hesitate a moment longer and drop the issue. But he didn’t. “I know your family is retired, Claudia. I know you haven’t touched anything magical in years, I can feel that your power is dormant - strong, but untouched,” he said carefully. “With all of the imbalance in this town recently I can see why you’re getting the migraines.” 

“My migraines are just migraines,” she insisted, but she couldn’t stop the way she tensed, trying to suppress the power that burnt under her skin.

“Claudia, your magic is unstable,” Deaton said forcefully. “You’ve been pushing it down for years, leaving it untouched. Letting it get more and more powerful and more unstable until it started to affect your body physically. But this level of protection spell… it’s powerful. Two spells in one really. With unstable magic on this level. It could do real damage to your body, to your mind.” 

Claudia faltered. She’d suspected for a while that her symptoms were more than just symptoms. They’d started just days after the Argent’s moved in. She could feel the magical shift in Beacon Hills since the hunters had turned up. She hadn’t gone looking, but she had no doubt that they’d done something to the Nemeton. The magic she’d had a lid on for years was starting to bubble out of her control.

“If the hunters find me then I’m dead. This magic might break me but it might not. It’s the only chance at safety I have,” she said.

“And the only chance for your son,” Deaton said and Claudia froze. 

Deaton always played his cards close to his chest. She’d known Talia had her suspicions but she also knew her friend wouldn’t betray her confidence like that. Which meant Deaton had come to his own conclusions about Mieczysław and had sat on the information for the past six years. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said cooly. “The protection spell is for myself.” 

“To disguise magic,” he said. She nodded. “Your son - Stiles, he goes by now, doesn’t he? - he’s nearly six. If he was going to, then that spark would’ve lit by now.” 

Claudia thought of the cookies floating off of the counter when he couldn’t reach them. She thought of the castle of blocks that couldn’t be dismantled no matter how hard she’d tried. She remembered the burst pillows in the midst of a temper tantrum. She’d made excuses for them all.

_ “He climbed up the drawers to reach the plate of cookies.”  _

_ “I thought I’d leave his castle up so he could show it to you tomorrow, love.”  _

_ “The pillow must’ve torn when it hit the edge of the table, I always thought that corner was too sharp.”  _

“He’s shown no spark,” she lied smoothly. “Children always show that aptitude before they’re five. He’s human.” 

“Very well,” Deaton said. “But the risks of casting the spell on yourself are just as high as if you were to cast it on someone else. I would help you if I could but my abilities aren’t the same as yours, you could find someone else though-” 

“Alan,” she interrupted, her voice hard. “It’s fine. It’s a calculated risk, I’ll be fine.” 

“I hope so,” he said gravely.

“Thank you for the supplies,” she said, “I’ll let you get back to work.” 

She didn’t wait for him to respond, just turned and left.

He was right, she knew that and she also knew that he wouldn't have said anything at all unless he really thought her powers were a danger to herself. But it didn’t matter. If her body suffered so Mieczysław could be safe, then so be it. Some things were worth the risk.


	3. 3. noah - 2004

Claudia’s head pounded. Nausea twisted in her stomach and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t quite ground herself in reality.

She’d had a stroke four years ago, nothing major, doctors at the time said she’d recover but six months later those symptoms twisted into something else; something more serious. They said that she had a family history of dementia and her history of migraines and a stroke had hurried it along. What they didn’t know was why she had the migraines in the first place.

But now reality would twist away from her. She’d see things that weren’t there, she didn’t know her own son and over the past four years, her body had gradually been forgetting how to function. 

Most days she didn’t know who or where she was and when she did know, she could feel herself slipping further and further away.

It was unbearable. Especially when she couldn’t understand why her mind was failing. But when she remembered, she bared it. Because it was a small price to pay for something so much more important than herself.

Mieczysław was at her bedside whenever he wasn’t at school. On her good days, she’d read to him, on her bad days he’d read to her. He was so bright, both in mind and spirit. They’d tried to keep him away at first, let him spend time at friends and away from the hospital, so he didn’t have to watch his mother fade away. But when the doctors had declared it was terminal, they’d said it was better for Mieczysław to spend as much time with his mom as possible.

Now Mieczysław was sat at her side, she brushed her hand through his hair as she looked down at the school project he was showing her and she hung on every word. Listening as he explained cloud patterns to her like it was the most interesting thing in the world, because right now, to him, it was.

Noah sat in the chair next to her bed, a cup of crappy hospital coffee in his hand as watched the two of them with a fond, sad smile.

They didn’t need to say it to know they were running out of time. The way Mieczysław clung to her made her wonder if he knew it too.

When Mieczysław had hurried off to go to the bathroom, she reached for the cup of water on the table and took small sips but even that small motion made her body ache tiredly.

“Talia dropped by yesterday,” Noah said quietly, “I don’t think you remember - you weren’t at your best.” 

Claudia smiled. “How is she? How’re the kids?” 

Noah tried to smile but didn’t quite manage it. “They’re all good,” he said. “She bought some of that tea you like.” 

“Tell her I appreciate it. The stuff they serve around here isn’t nearly the same,” she said.

Mieczysław all but ran back into the room, hopping straight back up onto the bed like he was afraid of missing something. She pressed a soft kiss against his temple.

“So, Mischief, now that we know you’re doing excellently in science class. Tell me what else you’ve been up to?” she said. “Are you and Scott planning anything new?” 

“No,” Mieczysław said, giving away his lie with a toothy grin. 

“Mmm,” she hummed, “so you’re not planning any great pranks for mischief night? That’s your night! I’m disappointed!” 

Mieczysław laughed at her dramatics. “It’s a surprise!” he said, looking pointedly at Noah who laughed.

“Alright, well I’ll just have to be patient and see it,” she said, “dad can’t bust you if he doesn’t know the plan.” She brushed his hair back from his face and her smile softened. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be spectacular! You have a certain spark for mischief, Mischief!” 

She poked at his side and he squirmed away with a shriek of laughter and it was like music to her ears. 

He’d been trying to be brave over the past few months, he’d been trying to act all grown up so it was nice to see him act like a normal kid.

“A spark for mischief or a talent for trouble?” Noah said with a hum.

“Maybe a spark for something else,” Claudia’s voice softened. She was so tired. But she forced herself to keep going for just a little while longer.

“A spark for what?” Noah asked the tone in his voice was the same one when he was humouring her hallucinations. 

She looked up at him and smiled. “Something special,” she said, brushing it aside. “He’s our son. Of course, he’s special.” 

Her heart ached with the desire to tell him the truth. But it was too late for that now, anything she said about Mieczysław would be brushed aside as a delusion. They’d told her what she’d said about him on her bad days. She’d said that he was a monster and she’d told people that he was the reason she was dying. 

He wasn’t the reason.

He was perfect.

He’d inherited something that had the potential for terrible things and she’d made that right at the cost of her own mind. 

Before she got sick Claudia would’ve found it funny that the secret that had made her sick was what she now wanted to tell but if she did, it would be put down to nothing more than the delusions of a dying woman. Besides, if she said too much then people would talk about it. Noah would ask the nurses if she’d said anything before and it’d draw unwanted attention and then it would’ve all been for nothing.

She shook her head and looked back to Mieczysław. “How was your appointment with Mrs Hill? Did she give you candy?” 

“Uh huh, but dad said I shouldn’t go just for the candy,” Mieczysław said. Mrs Hill was his psychiatrist who’d originally diagnosed his ADHD and a short time later Claudia had started to get sick so they’d decided it wasn’t a bad idea for him to keep seeing her.

Claudia laughed. “Well, clearly your dad doesn’t know how good the candy is.” She looked up at Noah. “How’s his prescription?”

“It’s the same,” he said, “his teachers are saying he’s doing well and Mrs Hill agrees that we shouldn’t mess with it if it’s working.” 

“Still the smartest one in your class?” she asked Mieczysław who scrunched up his nose.

“No, Lydia’s smarter,” he said and Claudia frowned.

“Lydia?” she questioned.

“Martin. She’s Natalie’s daughter,” Noah reminded softly and Claudia could picture red hair but couldn’t place much else about the girl.

“Oh, Lydia, of course!” She played along. “She must be really clever then.” 

“She is!” Stiles gushed before he launched into a long story about how she was the first person in their class to understand long division even before the teacher had started explaining it to them. But apparently she only showed an interest in math and while her grades were higher than everybody else's in other classes, she put the most effort into math.

As the evening drew on Mieczysław’s eyes got heavier. Claudia read to him in a soft voice, the pages of the old Polish book so familiar her eyes could rest on her son. As she finished the story, she pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head.

“I love you, Mischief,” she said.

“I love you too, Mom,” he said back, trying to fight off sleep.

“Go to sleep, Mieczysław,” she said softly, her fingers combing through his hair. “Sweet dreams.” 

Mieczysław’s eyes closed as he finally let sleep take over, his head resting heavily against her chest and Claudia savoured the feeling.

She reached out towards Noah and he moved closer, lacing his fingers through hers. His lips pressed softly against the back of her hand before he let them rest on the bed.

“He’s going to be okay,” she said, her voice hushed and tears in her eyes. “My mischief.” 

The three of them sat there together, nobody said anything, they didn’t have to. Claudia tried to memorise every detail of them both. The way their jaws curved the same way, the shade of Noah’s eyes and the colour of Mieczysław’s hair.

Her eyes started to droop but she clung to them both tighter. She didn’t know how, but she knew that even if she opened her eyes again they would have lost her. It was the same way she knew that there was a storm rolling in, despite the fact that the forecast predicted sunny skies for weeks. She could feel it deep in her bones, in something more certain than science.

-oOo-

Thunder crashed overhead as the full moon illuminated the sky.

The highway was lit up with sirens and flashing lights. Metal and glass crushed together as cars had overturned. 

Miles across town a boy clung to his mother’s hand as her breaths got shallower. At the same time on the highway, a banshee grabbed the Sheriff’s hand and used her dying moments to try and give him some closure.

A strike of lightning struck the preserve, marking not just the Earth, but Claudia’s final heartbeat. Magic pulsed in the air, a pack of wolves howled and a little boy grieved.

Claudia Stilinski brought life into the world as a storm ended. 

Years later, Claudia Stilinski died just as an even bigger storm started.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated ♥


End file.
